A liquid bactericide for foods and food processing machines or utensils, said bactericide consisting essentially of a synergistically effective amount of the active ingredients, 98.0 to 2.3% (W/V) of ethyl alcohol, 1.0 to 96.7% (W/V) of an organic acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid and phytic acid and 1.0 to 96.7% (W/V) of phosphoric acid;
- said bactericide being capable of sterilizing within 30 seconds when used in an aqueous solution, such that the concentration of active ingredients in solution consists of 14 to 1% (W/V) of ethyl alcohol, 13.0 to 0.3% (W/V) of said organic acid and 0.7 to 0.03% (W/V) of phosphoric acid.